The decision of the U.S. to raise higher tariff walls is energising a dialogue between China and Japan — two countries that are already engaged in resetting their once-troubled ties.
Chinese Foreign Minister and State Councilor Wang Yi has concluded a visit to Tokyo, ahead of the Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s visit to the U.S..
Analysts say that the Chinese side took the initiative for spurring Mr. Wang’s visit. He participated in a high-level economic dialogue, which was held after a gap of eight years.
ADVERTISEMENT
Similar situation?
“U.S. President Donald Trump has announced steep tariffs on Chinese goods, and could take further measures. While Xi is working on the U.S. directly to ease some of these tensions, the fact that Japan faces a similar, if less severe, challenge gives Beijing an opportunity to pull Tokyo closer to its orbit with the economic talks,” the
Apparently, Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan — President Xi Jinping’s right-hand man — spotted an early opportunity for Mr. Wang’s visit, as protectionist voices in Washington began to rumble in the region.
ADVERTISEMENT
A diplomatic source told The Hindu ahead of the talks that China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and Japan’s Indo-Pacific blueprint are two vectors that both countries would need to address. “Japan is not averse to China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), but at the same time, Tokyo would want Beijing to be respectful of Indo-Pacific framework. Japan is open to a dialogue with China on the Indo-Pacific,” the source said.
Japan has proposed “a free and open Indo-Pacific” with the stated purpose of enhancing “connectivity” between Asia and Africa so as “to promote the stability and prosperity of the regions as a whole”. Japan sees India, Australia and the U.S. as its main partners in implementing the Indo-Pacific strategy. Observers point out that Mr. Abe is expected to have a conversation on the Indo-Pacific doctrine during his talks with Mr. Trump later in the week.
Chinese Foreign Ministry in a statement on Mr. Wang’s visit advocated that Beijing and Tokyo should “safeguard economic globalisation and free trade system”. Besides, it said that China “welcomes and is glad to discuss Japan’s participation in the joint building of the ‘Belt and Road’ to make it a new growth point for bilateral cooperation”.
Mr. Wang’s visit will be followed by Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang’s journey to Japan for a trilateral summit in May, in which South Korea would also participate. Mr. Abe is then expected to visit China for a much awaited summit with Mr. Xi. That would open the door for Mr. Xi’s visit to Japan, probably next year.
Mr. Wang’s visit also provided an opportunity to the Japanese to be briefed about the Beijing visit of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, ahead of his proposed summit with Mr. Trump, which could take place next month.